GOSPEL READING:
Matthew 11:28-3028 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
SCRIPTURE READING:
Isaiah 40:25-3125 To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing. 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hid from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God"? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Meditation: What kind of yoke does the Lord Jesus have in
mind for each one of us? And how can it be good for us? The Jewish
people used the image of a yoke to express their submission to
God. They spoke of the yoke of the law, the yoke of the
commandments, the yoke of the kingdom, the yoke of God.
Jesus says his yoke is "easy". The Greek word for "easy" can
also mean "well-fitting". Yokes were tailor-made to fit the oxen
well for labor. We are commanded to put on the "sweet yoke of
Jesus" and to live the "heavenly way of life and happiness". Oxen
were yoked two by two. Jesus invites each one of us to be yoked
with him, to unite our life with him, our will with his will, our
heart with his heart.
Jesus carries our burdens with us
Jesus also says his "burden is light". There's a story of a man
who once met a boy carrying a smaller crippled lad on his back.
"That's a heavy load you are carrying there," exclaimed the man.
"He ain't heavy; he's my brother!" responded the boy. No burden is
too heavy when it's given in love and carried in love. When we
yoke our lives with Jesus, he also carries our burdens with us and
gives us his strength to follow in his way of love. Do you know
the joy of resting in Jesus' presence and walking daily with him
along the path he has for you?
In the Advent season we celebrate the coming of the Messiah King
who ushers in the reign of God. The prophets foretold that the
Messiah would establish God's kingdom of righteousness, peace, and
joy. Those who put their trust in God and in the coming of his
kingdom receive the blessings of that kingdom - peace with God and
strength for living his way of love, truth, and holiness (Isaiah
40). Jesus fulfills all the Messianic hopes and promises of God's
kingdom. That is why he taught his disciples to pray, "thy kingdom
come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew
6:10). In his kingdom sins are not only forgiven but
removed, and eternal life is poured out for all its citizens. This
is not a political kingdom, but a spiritual one.
Freed from the burden of sin and guilt
The yoke of Christ's kingdom, his kingly rule and way of life,
liberates us from the burden of guilt and disobedience. Only the
Lord Jesus can lift the burden of sin and the weight of
hopelessness from us. Jesus used the analogy of a yoke to explain
how we can exchange the burden of sin and despair for a yoke of
glory, freedom, and joy with him. The yoke which the Lord Jesus
invites us to embrace is his way of power and freedom to live in
love, peace, and joy as God's sons and daughters. Do you trust in
God's love and truth and submit to his will for your life?
Lord Jesus, inflame my heart with love for you and for your ways and help me to exchange the yoke of rebellion for the sweet yoke of submission to your holy and loving word. Set me free from the folly of my own sinful ignorance and rebellious pride that I may wholly desire what is good and in accord with your will.
Psalm 103:1-4, 8-10
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The LORD works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor requite us according to our iniquities.
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: Grace bear us, by an anonymous early author from the Greek church
"'My yoke is easy and my burden light.' ... The prophet says this
about the burden of sinners: 'Because my iniquities lie on top of
my head, so they have also placed a heavy burden on me' (Psalm
38:4)' ...'Place my yoke upon you, and learn from me that I am
gentle and humble of heart.' Oh, what a very pleasing weight that
strengthens even more those who carry it! For the weight of
earthly masters gradually destroys the strength of their servants,
but the weight of Christ rather helps the one who bears it,
because we do not bear grace; grace bears us. It is not for us to
help grace, but rather grace has been given to aid us.' (excerpt from INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY,
the Greek fathers).
